"One day they will stop stamping passports and something of the romance of travel will fade away. For now, I keep my old passports in leather holders as a reminder of the places I've been and the cranky custom officials that raised their eyebrows at all the exotic stamps within."

Vintage Leica camera

"People ask what is a futurist doing shooting a 35mm film camera, but I guess although my life is digital my heart is still analogue. Film is portable, beautiful, and never runs out of batteries or memory space. Just like Instagram - just not instant. And Leica cameras are a legend unto themselves." leica-camera.com

"Cash is dirty, dangerous and undeniably essential. I travel with a disturbing number of resealable plastic bags of world currencies, along with a well-worn silver money clip to store my filthy lucre."

Mercedes-Benz car keys

"I have a beautiful, old, midnight blue 1964 Mercedes 230SL convertible locked up by the beach in Australia. I'm never there these days, but I look at my car keys wistfully every now and then."

Meisterstück Diamond
Fountain Pen by Montblanc

"When I work, I type. But when I think - I still need to write. And if, like me, you are mad enough to travel with a fountain pen, best make it a really superior model. Preferably, the ink should be royal blue." montblanc.com

Collar stays by Turnbull & Asser

"My father wore Turnbull & Asser shirts and I remember stealing them on my first job, selling CDs in a department store. The manager nearly fired me for having better shirts than him. I gave up on cufflinks long ago, but I persist with the personal theatre of using collar stays."

IWC Portuguese Perpetual
Calendar watch

"There is something mesmerising about the complexity of a perpetual calendar. So much of our personal technology is disposable, but wearing a mechanical watch reminds you of devices designed to run for hundreds of years." watches-of-switzerland.co.uk

Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones

"Perfect sound, luxurious, and an elegantly designed middle finger to the growing armada of hip-hop-inspired ear cans... these headphones are the business." bowers-wilkins.com

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Bad Day magazine

"A witty and stylish insight into some unusual lives makes for a great afternoon read over a coffee." baddaymagazine.com

Ace barber comb

"A simple but effective piece of design, half of the comb smoothens out the hair while the other does the beard."

Sunglasses by Illesteva

"Making the switch from shoes and spectacles to espadrilles and sunglasses is an indication my day's work is done. These shades from New York label Illesteva are just the thing."

"This wax is rubbed on surfboards to provide grip for the surfer. You have to be ready when the wave machine is working at Rockaway [in Queens, New York], so I always keep this to hand." sexwax.com

Peppermint Tic-Tacs

"The original mints, essential for fresh breath after coffee, lunch and afternoon tea." tictac.com

Fürst & Iven classic drafting pencil

"My attempt to have a paperless studio is not always possible, so on occasion I use my Fürst drafting pencil. It is manufactured in Germany and has a small, removable sharpener built into its end." fuerst-iven.de

Notebooks by Smythson

"These handy notebooks, in black and lively green leather, are a reminder to keep breaking the rules."

Project No.8 corkscrew

"I find that this stylish corkscrew is handy for unlocking creative juices..." projectno8.com

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White shirt by CANALI

"I always have a freshly pressed white shirt in the office for unexpected meetings or events."

Aviator sunglasses by Ray-Ban

"Aviators are no more likely to go out of style than jeans and a T-shirt, so I consider these to be an essential."

The Elements of Typographic
Style by Robert Bringhurst

I need all sorts of books around me all the time, and this is one of the bibles of typography, a constant and comprehensive glossary of the field."

Master Xu's Rou Gui oolong tea

"Tea is an important ritual for me. Timothy d'Offay of Postcard Teas is obsessive about quality, heritage and supporting ongoing relationships with small suppliers. This oolong is a refreshing fragrant morning tea." postcardteas.com

Solingen 24cm paper scissors

"Handsomely proportioned and balanced, these German-produced scissors look like a dangerous implement - and they often are in my office, if you happen to be a sheet of wrapping paper, that is..." solingenmade.com

cashmere tie by Drake's

"Depending on the occasion, I like to pair my white shirts with a slim navy tie."

Sony NEX-7 camera

"I've been waiting years for this APS-C camera. It's very compact compared to other equivalents, but it creates impressive 24-megapixel images. I use it daily as my sketchbook for recording ideas. I find I need more quality than I can get from my iPhone." sony.com

Kaweco Sport fountain pen

"Well-balanced, timeless and very compact, I take this pen everywhere - I can't find a reason to replace it with something grander when I get to the office." studio-pens.com

Kaikado metal tea jars

"Kaikado tea jars are one of the few objects one can buy that get better with age. I find the patina, weight, and simplicity of these containers contribute to the calming process of making tea." postcardteas.com

What does the top drawer of your desk say about you? When you pull it open, do crumpled Starbucks napkins and leaky ballpoint pens erupt from within, or are you met by a cool, controlled selection of your daily essentials? For the five influential men who have opened up their desk drawers for us in this feature, it is very much the latter. Old batteries and an endemic population of rubber bands are emphatically not part of the picture. From stylish stationery to cutting-edge gadgets via knives and moisturisers, click through the gallery above to get inspired, and see what lies within the dashing desk drawer.